Trusting the Gut
by Cartoon Cow
Summary: Things seemed to be going great, until they weren't. The reason for my non-descriptive summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! I'm sure you've noted the summary was very vague, and I have a reason for that- I don't want you guys to know whats going to happen. I feel like if I make a summary it will ruin the surprise/shock affect. Please read the first chapter before you make the decision to not read the story- because I promise this is going to be great! As usual, Waylon's narration is in bold italics to separate it from the story and authors note.**

**_By now ya'll probably know 'bout how things work in Hazzard County. People work hard, fight to pay the mortgage and stay out of debt in an honest manner. Well, most of em'_**.

Cooter could feel the hot sun pounding down on his back as he bent over the Boss's broken down Cadillac, searching for the problem.

Pulling off his greasy old cap, he straightened up to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

Sure, he was glad it wasn't cold outside anymore, but this weather was roastin' him up like one of Uncle Jesse's thanksgivin turkeys.

Putting his cap back on, he put his hands against the hood of the car; it was obvious what was causing the car not to run.

Cooter gave a sigh, turning towards the garage doors as he pulled a grease rag from his back pocket to wipe his hands off. He sat down on the work table, picking up the phone and dialing the number to Boss's office at the courthouse, where he was sure he would be considering he had the car, and Rosco's police car was still parked across the street.

"J.D Hogg speakin." Boss picked up on the other end of the phone line.

"Howdy Boss," Cooter smiled even though he knew Boss couldn't see it," I figured out what was wrong with her." he waved at Bo and Luke as the General Lee pulled up next to Boss's car.

"Then why ain't you fixin' it instead of callin' me?" Boss retorted as he picked up a piece of thickly sliced ham.

"Cause I gotta tell you its gonna be about a hundred bucks to fix it and thats not includin' the service charge." Cooter said as Bo and Luke were climbing from General's window and walking over to him.

"One hundred dollars?!" Boss exploded.

"Yep, and if you ain't gonna pay it, I ain't gonna fix it." Cooter replied promptly.

"Fine, whatever." Boss fumed as he slammed the phone down to hang it up. It would come out of his drivers pay check anyway. Right now this ham was all that mattered...

Cooter hung up the phone, "Howdy boys." he grinned, happy to see his brothers in the Lord.

"Howdy Cooter." they both said happily.

"Havin' trouble with Boss not payin you?" Luke asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Cooter stood up, "You know usually I'd just fix it and charge em but they owe me a good 800 dollars, so this time I wanted to let him know I ain't fixin it for free."

Bo whistled, propping his hands up on his hips, "Well, Coot, we was comin' by to see if you wanted to ride down to the Boars Nest for a drink with us."

"And we're buyin'." Luke added.

Cooter grinned, "You sure do strike a hard bargain, boys."

Bo smiled as he started back to the General, "Yeah and Uncle Jesse is waitin' to play a game of chess with ya."

Cooter cocked his head to the side, pointing a finger at his friend.

"Let me just close up, "he said reaching up and pulling the door down, glancing towards the bus stop as he turned the lock to the side.

He stopped dead in his tracks.

A sandy blonde, curly haired girl stepped off, a suitcase held tightly in her left hand as she used the left to block the sun from her eyes.

Before he could get a close look at her she was covered up by other passengers getting off the bus, and in a moment she was gone.

"Cooter!" Bo called from the General's driver seat, " Let's go!"

"Yeah, ok." Cooter forced himself to pull away and climb inside to the General Lee's back seat.

Bo reached turned to look at Cooter in the back seat, wiping his finger under Cooters chin, "Looks like you gotta bit of drool there Cooter, who was you eye ballin' so hard huh?"

Cooter swatted at Bo's hand, "Nobody."

"Mmmmhmmm." Bo looked to Luke as they both laughed playfully.

"Alright, alright," Cooter smiled, "we goin to get that drink or what?"


	2. The Meeting

**I am so glad you have decided you like this story because things are gonna heat up soon! Please read and drop me a comment! This chapter is shorter than my usual 2,000 word standard but I've had this weird pain in my hands lately so I;m ending it on a comfy note ;)**

**Ch.2 Meeting**

Luke walked over to the Boars Nest side door, holding it open as Bo and Cooter walked inside.

"Looks like you're winnin', Uncle Jesse." Bo leaned over his Uncles shoulder, his back facing the door as Jesse moved his piece into one of his most famous winning move positions.

Ole' Jimmy Downer frowned as he realized what Jesse had just done, he glanced at the board then back up to Jesse, "I think I hear the wife callin'," which is what he always said when he realized he was fixing to be in check mate.

Gathering up his hat, Jimmy gave everyone a good bye nodd and left with a "see ya boys" as he opened the door, followed by everyone at the table giving a good day and good bye response.

Bo moved around the table, sitting down in the seat next to the one previously occupied by Jimmy and grabbing a handful of buttered popcorn.

Jesse laughed as he began to reset the chess board, "Gets em every time."

Cooter came over and sat down across from Jesse, feeling a sense of dread as he had just watched Jimmy sit here and recieve they equivalent of the death penalty from Jesse.

Luke sat down next to his Uncle, smiling as he watched Cooter scoot his chair up to the table.

"Why don't you go first, Cooter. I bet you'll win today." Jesse gave a reassuring smile before chuckling a little.

Bo laughed, Daisy setting down an ice cold mug mug down in front of him.

"Howdy Daisy." Bo smiled as he took a drink.

"Howdy boys," she smiled placing a beer down in front of Luke and Cooter.

Cooter didn't let the lure of a beer distract him, he was going to make his first move count. He moved his knight up and to the left.

Jesse observed the board, moving his farthest pawn up 2 spaces.

The game continued in this manner, Bo and Luke occasionally making comments about the game until eventually there were people behind Cooter and Jesse, all observing the match.

Daisy wiped the counter as the door opened, a light blonde headed girl walking in with a hiking bag thrown over her shoulder. She sat down at the bar,

"What's goin on over there?" She smiled as she talked to Daisy.

"Why that's my Uncle Jesse and Cooter Davenport, best mechanic in the whole Tri-County area. They're facin off in a game of chess," she giggled, "Cooters been tryin to beat him for years. What can I get for you, Sugar?"

"Water would be nice please." The girl replied, looking back over her shoulder at the people she instantly recognized, Cooter, Bo, Luke, Jesse, Carla (although she never liked the girl), a few towns people and then there was Daisy, who was now setting a cup of water down in front of her.

She fiddled with the cup for a moment, "Are, are you Daisy Duke?"

Daisy furrowed her brows, "Yeah, do I know you? You do look kind of familiar."

"It's Lillian." she smiled.

Daisy's eye's lit up, "Lillian!" She hugged her from across the counter, "I haven't seen you in, well at least 10 years!"

"Yeah!" Lillian giggled, "We're all grown up now. I sure have missed it here- nothin much has really changed."

"Nope," Daisy smiled, "Where have you been all these years?"

"Well you know after daddy got fired we had to move to Atlanta," she took a drink of her water, "then after awhile he just kinda faded away. Cancer got him from workin in the mines all those years."

"I'm so sorry to hear that." Daisy said, now feeling bad for bringing up the subject.

"It was a long time ago." she said looking at her cup.

Cooter slid his rook forward, Jesse stopping him with a grin, "You can't move there Cooter, you're in check."

Cooter held eye contact with Jesse for a moment before moving his queen in front of his king. Everyone knew he was beat.

"Now ya'll need to back up and give a guy some breathing room." he said holding his arms out to the side to scoot some of the people back.

Jesse took the queen, now in the position to get checkmate in one move.

Cooter frowned, it took a lot of pride swallowing to move that final piece when you knew you were going to lose a second later.

He rubbed his fingers together, moving the piece as Jesse declared checkmate.

A series of "awwws" fill the room, Bo patting him of the back, "AW It's alright Cooter," Bo grinned, "you'll beat him someday."

"Yeah, I'm sure." Cooter laughed at the thought, "Well boys, I got to head on back now."

"OK Cooter," Luke finished off the last of his beer and standing up to walk out with Jesse, "Bo get the tab would ya?"

"Ha!" Bo said sarcastically, with a playful smile as he pulled a wad of about 5 ones in his pocket.

"Here ya go Daisy, this should be enough to cover our tab for this week." he said handing it over.

"Who's this little darlin?" Bo held his hand out to Lillian, "Hi!"

Cooter could hear Bo and smirked as he turned to see who his friend was talking to.

"Lillian." Cooter's jaw hung open.

Bo took a step back, seeing this was important to Cooter.

"Hi Cooter, how ya been?" Lillian asked.

"I uh, I been good." He felt like he'd seen a ghost, "What about you?" he quickly covered up his dumb stuttering.

"Great! I started my own hiking gear company- or at least trying to. I thought I could come here and try out some of my own equipment. They have a patent but I still just want to be sure."Lillian giggled shyly.

"Cooter, you still want that ride back to the shop?" Bo asked with a grin.

"I uh, nope." Cooter said, awkwardly, a flush crossing his face as Lillian giggled from behind him.

"Alright then Cooter, see ya later." Bo waved, the door shutting itself behind him as he left.

"See ya Uncle Jesse." Luke was saying as Bo came over.

Jesse was backing out, waving at Bo as he put the truck into drive.

Bo and Luke climbed into the General, Bo hesitating to turn the key in the ignition.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked.

"Did Cooter and Lillian have something? I don't remember much about her except us playing in the creek that one time Cooter broke the rope swing." Bo sat back in his seat.

"Yeah they were kinda like that. Cooter always crushed on her big time but I think her dad always got in their way. He wasn't the nicest person to be around." Luke replied.

Bo frowned, sensing that the conversation was over judging by Luke's body posture.

Something already wasn't sitting right about this.


End file.
